


The World Slowed

by Nm_Ps (orphan_account)



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Damnit Cha-Cha why you gotta ruin this! They were happy!, F/M, Gun Violence, vegan doughnuts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-06
Updated: 2019-03-06
Packaged: 2019-11-12 17:30:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18015245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Nm_Ps
Summary: “I have a mission, Hazel. I have a second chance, and you know damn well I won’t get a third.” She reached into her pocket and held up a slip of paper. Terminate Hazel. This time it was an official order.





	The World Slowed

“You know, you don’t have to eat it.” It was a vegan doughnut, but it was Agnes’ dream, and he loved her, so he was going to eat it. For her.

“Hey,” he said with a mouthful of food, “this is actually really good.” It surprised him a lot more than it probably should have. It was just as fluffy as her regular doughnuts, though not quite as light. She said it was the flour she used. It wasn’t normal flour, but rather coconut flour since these were gluten-free along with being vegan. 

Her smile could light up the whole world. She was beautiful. 

The grand opening was in a few hours. Soon enough Agnes’ dream would be a reality and he was there to witness it.

He had traveled around the world, been in dozens of time periods, but none of them, not one, was as spectacular as this very moment. 

And for all that travel, all that jazz that came with his job, it was boring, routine. Just being here, with her, watching the birds, making doughnuts, living life. This was special.

He never would’ve thought that he could’ve gotten this lucky, could’ve been this happy. Heck, if someone had told him a month ago where he would be now, he would’ve called them crazy then probably have shot them.

There was a line of people outside by the time they were ready to open the doors. People filled in, all eager to try one of the doughnuts. Mothers with their kids, young couples, people on their way home from work. But one person, in particular, stood out amongst the crowd.

Cha-Cha. The blood drained from his face. How did she find them? How did she survive?

She had a briefcase clutched in her hand and a determined expression set on her face. She wasn’t here to mess around. 

She didn’t act immediately, so neither did Hazel; he didn’t want to cause a commotion on Agnes’ big day. She stood there, in the corner of the store, waiting.

“Isn’t that your partner from work?” Agnes’ worried tone matched how he was feeling.

“I’ll deal with her, don’t worry.” He could tell that he didn’t do much to calm her, but she trusted him. 

He walked up to his old partner, thinking of their last encounter. This wasn’t going to end well, he knew.

“Cha-Cha.” Glancing down at the briefcase, he didn’t fail to notice the gun clasped in her other hand.

“I have a mission, Hazel. I have a second chance, and you know damn well I won’t get a third.” She reached into her pocket and held up a slip of paper. Terminate Hazel. This time it was an official order.

The world slowed, not because The Handler was coming, no, because he knew what he had to do. He looked back over at Agnes. Smiling, handing a lady and her son their doughnuts. Tears welled in his eyes.

“Listen, I’ll come with you. I’ll let you kill me, but let her be. Please.” Was this what truly loving someone felt like? Giving up your own life to keep them safe. Risking everything for them?

Cha-Cha nodded her head toward the door, ushering him outside. They walked to the back of the store. Only their car was parked back here. No one else was around.

“Hazel?” Agnes was calling out to him, worried, scared, alone. He didn’t get the chance to look up at her before the shot rang out.

All the birds in the area screeched and flew away in a panicked frenzy. Cha-Cha was gone just the same.

Hazel’s body fell to the ground and Agnes’ collapsed near him. She was sobbing uncontrollably. Her happiest day had turned into her worst.

The crowd of people from inside the restaurant gathered to the back. The women held their children close, covering their eyes. Some was shouting that they should call the police. Others asking what had happened.

It was all too late. A trained killer like Cha-Cha wouldn’t miss a shot that easily. Hazel was dead. 

Eventually, the police had to drag Agnes away from his body. They tried asking her questions, but she wouldn’t speak - couldn’t speak. She just kept crying out his name, tears racing down her cheeks. 

She closed the bakery not even a month after its opening. She couldn’t bear making any more doughnuts, not without him.

All around her, birds would squawk and fly away, except for one. A red-bellied sapsucker. She named him Hazel.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! If you liked it, please leave a comment or kudo!
> 
> You can find me on Tumblr at nevermore-plutonianshore!


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